Audio shaping and acoustic optimization are important aspects to be considered in the design of electronic communications devices. Unfortunately what is an optimum design for one acoustic environment is not necessarily an optimized design for another acoustic environment. Typically, a communications product, such as a hand-held radio, is pre-defined for one set of acoustic conditions to suit a particular customer's primary needs. Unfortunately, from a manufacturing standpoint, this results in different assembly kits for different customers depending on where their primary product use is going to be. There are also software options but these are generally set once and are not user accessible.
Because today's portable hand-held radios are used in so many different environments, designing for optimal acoustic performance for one set of acoustic conditions may not completely address a customer's needs. For example, a portable radio may be used in a factory setting, then moved to an automobile, and then taken into a quiet indoor office or home. Each of these settings presents a different acoustic environment presenting different design challenges, such as machine noise, wind noise, and general background noise.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have an adaptable acoustic optimization apparatus for a communication device. A selectable control feature which allowed either user or factory acoustic optimization would be further desirable.